Golf pants tend to be quite a bit pricier than a traditional dress slack.
This, of course, makes people look into other options that they could wear.
Golf pants are not always the top choice for all golfers, but they do have their benefits.
If you have been shopping for some new golf clothes this year and are curious about what you should be wearing when you play, we have all the answers you need.
Knowing what you are buying, and which will make the most sense for your game, is a whole different situation.
Golf Pants Vs. Dress Pants (What’s The Difference?)
The biggest difference between golf pants and dress pants is the fit.
The fit of the clothing and the fabrics that they are made from are not the same, and therefore, golfers will see a different performance from these two types of pants.
Dress pants are typically made with heavier materials.
They are intended for formal wear, and they have thicker material, more cuffs, and potentially pleats as well.
The modern golf pant is a thinner pant with less material and a more athletic fit.
With a pair of golf pants on, you will have enough room to swing the golf club and not feel restricted in any way.
With the dress pants, there is a chance that you will feel restricted as you complete your swing.
In addition, the dress pants sometimes have a lining on the inside of them.
This lining makes the pants almost too warm to wear, especially when you are golfing in the summer.
Another thing to consider is the material towards the bottom of the pants.
This material on dress pants is not quite designed to handle the conditions that you will find on the golf course.
Golfers will often be playing in wet grass, and they may even be exposed to sand or mud at times.
Golf pants designed for a true golfer are equipped to handle this, but pants that are more for the workplace are not able to provide the same longevity.
As you have seen, there are lots of differences between golf pants and dress pants, and the dress pants are really not suitable to be used for playing golf.
Now, if you are at the office all day and headed out for a round of golf, don’t worry so much if your pants are not ideal.
Most of the time, it’s worth it just to be able to get in a few holes, so the attire is not as much of a concern.
However, for a planned round of golf, ensure that you are properly equipped with golf pants.
Let’s take a look at some of the things to look for in an ideal pair of golf pants.
What To Look For In Golf Pants
When you find a great pair of golf pants, you are probably going to want to purchase a few of them.
It takes time to find something that will have a proper fit and look good.
In addition, you will have to consider the rest of your wardrobe and what is going to match with what you currently have.
Of course, you will need to ensure that you have the proper shirt to wear with the golf pants you are purchasing.
Many golfers who are new to the game don’t know exactly what to look for when they purchase golf pants.
Here are a few things to look for in a great pair of golf pants.
1. Fit
Golf pants are made to be somewhat loose-fitting.
Although there are new slim-fit styles and more modern styling, for the most part, the pants will give golfers plenty of room to move around.
Not only is it essential to have the ability to swing and move your body around, but golfers also need to get in and out of a cart quite often.
This sitting down and standing up can be quite uncomfortable if a pair of pants is not fitted properly around the waist.
The golf pants also need to be comfortable for walking as a golfer will need to stretch and maneuver as they go up and down hills on the golf course.
The fit of the pants is imperative to get just right initially because playing even one round of golf in a pair of pants that does not feel right will probably cost you quite a few strokes on your scorecard.
Always check the size charts as certain manufacturers are going to have different sizing guides than others.
Traditionally, if you know your typical waist measurement, you can translate it to the proper size and fit for the model of golf pants that you are interested in.
It is also very important to pay attention to the length of the pants.
You have to make sure that the pants you purchase are not going to get stuck on the bottom of your golf shoes.
Since most golf shoes have spikes, the hem of the pants tends to catch on the bottom of the soft spikes at times.
This will ruin the hem of the pants, and it is why getting the proper length of pants is so important.
If you know that you need a custom length on your pants, ensure that you get them hemmed before wearing the pants out for a day on the course.
Even just one round of golf with a pair of pants that is too long could completely ruin them.
With golf pants being priced as high as they are, it is certainly not worth ruining a pair of golf pants just because the length is not correct.
2. Style
As we mentioned, the traditional golf pant has large pleats and is very loose fitting.
This was how the original golf pants were designed, and it has remained the common style for many years.
However, over time, golfers realized that they were wearing clothes for golf that did not match their typical style or preferences.
Those who tend to dress a little more modern or stylish off the course are going to want to wear something that has a slimmer and cleaner feel to it.
This is why you are going to see so many golf pants now being offered as a slim fit.
There are plenty of options for flat front pants if you don’t like the pleat but keep in mind that flat front and slim fit are also going to be two different things.
The flat front gets the pleats out of the way, but the legs can still be wider.
With a slim fit, the legs are narrow as well.
We don’t recommend the slim fit style for when you are playing cart golf.
Unless you are thin and have plenty of room in the pants, it can be uncomfortable and cause a bit of wear and tear on the pants themselves.
Instead, it may make more sense to save the slim fit design for when you are walking the course.
In addition, you will be able to burn some extra calories so that you will always be able to fit in those slim fit golf pants.
3. Materials
Golf pants can be made from a variety of materials, but one material you are likely going to want to stay away from is cotton.
Cotton golf pants get really heavy, and they are kind of hot.
Even when playing golf in the winter, you are going to want to wear the higher performing fabrics.
One way to avoid getting too cold in the winter is to wear your golf pants under a pair of rain pants.
This allows you the opportunity to remove the rain pants if you should get too hot while you are on the course.
The materials that golf pants are made of usually have the ability to wick sweat away.
This makes it easier to keep your legs dry and to stay comfortable while you are on the course.
In addition, some golf pants are now being made with UV protection.
This UV protection will help those who are worried about the skin risks we all take when out on the golf course.
Standing in the sun for five hours with no protection for your legs can certainly put you at risk for issues with sun spots and skin cancer.
If your golf pants have UV protection, you should consider it a major positive.
4. Color
The light colored golf pants are great because they will stay cooler, and they tend to match with almost anything.
Many players like to have a lighter khaki and a white pair of golf pants for summer golf.
In addition, it does make sense to have a few pairs of darker-colored pants as well.
The darker colored pants will help protect against any dirt that may fly up on the golf course.
If you are playing golf and the grass is a bit wet, you can get water stains on a pair of lighter colored pants as well.
Avoid this by always keeping a navy or black pair of pants in your wardrobe.
5. Waist Band To Keep Shirt In Place
When you swing a golf club, your body will twist and turn quite a bit.
As this happens, it almost always pulls your shirt out of your pants.
The pulling of the shirt is frustrating when you feel as though you need to tuck your shirt in after every shot you hit.
There are, however, some golf pants designed with the ability to hold your shirt in place as you swing.
With your shirt in place, you can focus more on your round of golf and less on the fact that you look disheveled.
This is a simple design that many of the golf manufacturers put on their pants.
6. Pockets
Pockets in golf pants are essential.
Golfers always have things in their pockets, from ball markers to golf balls to scorecards.
If the pockets on your pants are not in the suitable locations and they don’t have enough room to accommodate your things, then you should find another pair of pants.
Golf pants need pockets, and they need them to be strategically placed.
Keep this in mind when you are thinking about wearing dress pants to play golf.
Some dress pants pockets wouldn’t even have enough room to hold a golf ball if you wanted them to.
What good will that do you when it’s time to hit a Mulligan off the tee?
Overall, golf pants and dress pants are different.
It is essential that you feel comfortable in whatever you are wearing to play golf.
Part of playing great golf is also feeling as though you look good.
You must find a wardrobe that makes you feel like a better player, and then maybe you will start playing like one.
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